Car construction



H. FUCHS CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 1928 Dec. 3, 1929.

Invenr Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oF ieE HENRY FUCHS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO W. H; MINER, INC, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION DELAWARE CAR CONSTRUCTION Application filed. December 5, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in car construction.

One object of the invention is to provide a combined locking and center pin arrangement for railway car bolsters, which eiiectively prevents separation of the body and truck bolsters, having rugged means for anchoring the same to both bolsters to prevent breaking under tension and presenting a large crosssectional area to prevent shearing, thereby greatly minimizing the'danger ot' telescoping of the cars in case of collision.

Another object of the invention is to provide a one-piece locking pin of substantial construction, which may be readily applied to and removed from the bolsters and interlocked with both bolsters by means integral therewith, of rugged construction, which will effectively prevent separation of the bolsters when subjected to severe strains.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bolster locking center pin having means for preventing separation of the bolsters, comprising a head at one end cooperating with the shoulder on one of the bolsters and an outwardly tapered section at the other end bearing on wall portions of the other bolster.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a combined locking and center pin arrangement for railway car bolsters provided with alined center pin receiving openings, comprising a solid pin having a cylindrical shank portion of relatively large diameter fitting cylindrical portions of the center pin receiving openings of both the body and truck bolsters and having a head member at one end cooperating with a shoulder on one of the bolsters and an outwardly tapered section at the other end adapted to be passed through the cylindrical portions of the center pin receiving openings and fitting within a corresponding tapered portion of the center pin opening of the other bolster, wherein the cross-section of the tapered portion of the center pin opening of said bolster and thetapered cooperating portion of the pin is such as to permit insertion when the pin is in one angular position and when turned will prevent passage of said tapered portion through the bolster opening, together with after pointed out.

Serial No. 323,808.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top plan view of portions of the body and truck bolsters of a railway car, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view in a plane at right angles to that of Figure 2. And Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 4t4t of Figure 2.

In said drawings, 10 indicates generally the body bolster of a railway car and 11 the cooperating truck bolster. The body bolster, as shown, is provided with the usual bearing portion 12, of substantially spherical shape, which cooperates with a spherical bearing seat 13 provided on a bearing block 14 mounted in a pocket 15 at the top of the truck bolster. The bearing block 14 is provided with the usual upstanding annular flange 16 which engages within a seat 17 provided on the bottom of the body bolster.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a one-piece combined locking and center pin A which is of special formation and the bolsters are correspondingly formed to properly cooperate therewith. The truck bolster is provided with a cylindrical center pin receiving opening 18 extending therethrough and also through the bearing block 14. Below.

the opening 18, the truck bolster is provided with a pocket 19 of larger diameter than the pin receiving opening,'to accommodate the head portion of the center pin A, as herein- It will be evident that a shoulder is thus provided at the base of the pocket adjacent the opening 18, which cooperates with the head of the pin. The body bolster is provided with a sleeve-like portion 20 connecting the top and bottom sections thereof and adapted to accommodate the upper portion of the center pin A. As shown, the sleeve-like portion'20 has an opening 21 at the bottom end thereof of cylindrical cross-section and of a diameter to correspond with the opening 18.

Above the opening 21, the sleeve 20 has the opposite side wall portions 22-22 thereof upwardly diverging, the remaining opposed sections 23-23 of the internal walls of said sleeve being curved on the same radius as the openings 18 and 21, thereby providing offset wall sections with respect to the diverging wall sections 22. As most clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the diverging wall sections 22 are curved transversely so as to provide a conical or tapered seat portion. At the upper end, the side wall sections '22 merge with the curved wall sections 23, thereby defining an opening of cylindrical shape in cross-section, corresponding in size to the openings 18 and 21. Inasmuch as the walls 22 diverge upwardly, the lower end portions thereof are inwardly oifset with respect to the corresponding side wall portions of the opening 21, as most clearly shown in Fig; ure 2.

My improved center pin A comprises a substantially cylindrical shank portion 24 at the lower end thereof, adapted to fit within the openings 18 and 21. The bottom end of the pin is provided with a substantially cylindrical head 35 which is accommodated within the pocket 19 and cooperates with the shoulder at the bottom of said pocket to prevent removal of the pin in an upward direction with respect to the bolster 11. The shank of the pin above the section 21 is cut away at opposite sides, as indicated at 25-25, to provide curved side faces. The curved faces 25 are formed on a radius equal to the radius of the opening between the lower extremities of the diverging side wall sections 22 of the sleeve 20.

The remaining diametrically opposite side portions of'the upper part of the shank of the pin A are laterally expanded in an upward direction, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, thereby providing an upwardly tapered section of the shank of the pin. The expanded section of the pin thus provides enlargements 2626 at opposite sides, which are offset with respect to the remainder of the upper portion of the shank of the pin. The enlargements 26 present conical surfaces which are adapted to interlit with the conical wall sections 22 of the sleeve 20. The enlargements 26 are of such a width at their upper ends as to'passfreely through the openings provided by the offset wall portipns 23 of the sleeve 20 when the pin is inserted upwardly through the body bolster. It will be evident that inasmuch as the opposite sides of the pin are cut away at 25 and the cutaway portion is of the same diameter throughout its height, these last named portions will clear the bottom ends of the upwardly diverging wall sections 22-22 of the sleeve.

In order to prevent accidental rotation of the pin A when applied to the bolsters, a locking key 27 is employed, the key 27 extending through a transverse opening 28 in the pin and alined openings 2929 in the wall of the sleeve 20. When the key 27 is in position, the same is secured by any suitable means, such as a counter pin passing through the free end thereof, the key being headed at the opposite end. As shown in Figure 3, the key is preferably tapered so that the same will have a wedging action on the pin A, urging the same downwardly so as to wedge the enlargements 26 into tight engagement with the wall sections 22 of the sleeve 20.

As shown in Figure 3, the key has the upper edge in bearing relation with the top walls of the openings 29 of the sleeve 20 and the lower edge in wedging engagement with the bottom wall of the transverse opening 2 of the pin.

In applying my improved combined locking and center pin to the body and truck bolsters of a car, the enlargements 26, which in efiect form an outwardly tapered section of the pin, are brought into alinement with the openings provided by the offset wall portions 23 of the sleeve 20. The pin is then passed upwardly through the openings of the truck and body bolsters. As will be evident, the relatively larger upper end portion of the tapered section of the pin will pass freely' through the openings 18 and 21 of the body and truck bolsters during this operation. WVhen the pin has been fully inserted, the same is rotated through an angle of so as to bring the enlargements 26 into registration with the diverging side wall portions 22 of the sleeve 20. The pin is then permitted to drop slightly so as to seat the ta- 1? pered portion formed by the enlargements 26 on the wall portions 22. As will be evident, the pin is thus held against removal in a downward direction and the greater the pull applied in said downward direction, the more tightly the pin will be. wedged to the sleeve 20 of the bolster 10. The key 27 is then inserted, thereby preventing rotation of the pin with respect to the bolster 10 and maintainloo ing the tapered portion of the pin engaged with the wall sections 22 of the sleeve.

When a Wedging key of the type shown in Figure 3 is employed, the key is driven in the openings of the side wall of the sleeve and the transverse opening of the pin so as to wedge the pin downwardly to bring the tapered portion thereof into tight fitting contact with the wall sections 22 of the sleeve. As will be evident, when the pin has thus been locked to the body bolster, separation of the bolsters will be prevented by said tapering portion of the pin and by the head member 35 at the bottom end of the pin which cooperates with the shoulder of the truck bolster. As shown most clearly in Figure 2, a slight clearance is provided between the cylindrical shank portion 24 of the pin and the bottom ends of the upwardly diverging wall portions 22. This is to permit the unseating of the enlargements from the diverging or tapered wall sections 22 ot' the sleeve 20. As will be evident, when the pin is driven upwardly by blows applied to the head, the tapered portion o1 the pin will be unseated, whereupon the pin, after removal of the key 27. may be readily rotated to bring the enlargements 26 thereof into registration tion with the openings provided by the oilset wall portions 25 ot the sleeve, so as to allow withdrawal of the pin in a downward direction through the body and truck bolsters.

From the preceding description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be evi' dent that I have provided an exceedingly simple and efficient combined locking and center pin of rugged construction, which has a cylindrical shank portion of maximum cross-sectional area which substantially fills the bearing openings for the pin in the body and truck bolsters, thereby obtaining the maximum resistance to shearing action.

Further, the pin having a solid head at one end and a relatively large tapered section which is tightly wedged to the body bolster, the bolsters are effectively tied together against vertical separation and the parts have exceptional tensile strength.

lVhen the parts are assembled with the tapered portion of the pin wedged to the pin receiving sleeve of the body bolster, the pin in efi'ect becomes a rigid part of the body bolster.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having alined center pin receiving openings, one oi said bolsters having a shoulder ad1acent its opening and the other bolster having retaining means thereon having an opening providing outwardly expanded wall sections; of a center pin having a head at one end cooperating with said shoulder and an outwardly expanded section at the other end fitting said retaining means, the shape of said expanded section and the shape of said pin openings and the opening of said retaining means being such that the pin may be inserted therethrough while in one position but is prevented from passing therethrough when given a partial turn to engage said expanded section with said expanded wall portions.

2. In a car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having alined cen r pi net me-s. o e f a b sters ha ga hould r a i scent a pen: ns and t e ethe s er ha i g etaini means t orining an integral part at the bolsten adjacent the opening thereof of a centerpin having ahead one end cooperating w: I id; shoulder, and a, tapered portion at, other end having wedging engagement 1th said retaining means.

3, Ina car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having alined centerpin receiving openings, one of said bolt e having slinulder adjacent the opening and the other bolster having a taper-ed; seat adjacent opening; of a center pin extend. s th eus i S pe g an ha ing O e end thereof wedged within said seat, the other end of said pin having a head cooperatin with said shoulder. v

4 a car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having alined center pin receiving openings of substantially the same diameter, one of said bolsters having an expanded seat portion adjacent. its opening; of a center pin having a cyline dr-ical shank portion extending through said o enings and fitting the same, one end of said pin having an expanded section adapted to lit said seat, said section being of a size to pass through said openings, the other end of said pin having shouldered engagement with the. other bolster, the cross-sectional shape of said expanded section of the pin and the cross? sectional shape of the seat being such that the pin may be inserted through said seat while in one pOSiiion, but is prevented from passing therethrough when given a partial turn.

5 In a car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having alined openings adapted. to receive a center pin, the opening of one bolster having a shoulder ads jacent thereto and the opening of the other bolster having opposed wall portions thereof outwardly diverging; of a center pin extending through said openings, said pin having a shank portion fitting the opening having the shoulder, the corresponding end of the pin having a head cooperating with said shoulder, the other end of the pin having a tapered section adapted to pass through said openings while in one position but is prevented from passing through said opening having the (ill? verging walls when given a partial turn to bring said tapered section of the pin in overlapping relation with said diverging walls.

6, In a; car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters, one of said holsters having a center pin receiving sleeve portion and the other bolster having a center pin pen ngali d t r ith, a s ee e hav n ou war y diver-si eepp e nn al tions, the remaining inner wall sections of said sleeve being offset with respect to said diverging wall sections; of a center pin having a shank portion fitting said center pin opening and shouldered engagement with the bolster provided with said opening, the shank portion of the other end of the pin being outwardly expanded to fit said outwardly di- 1 verging wall sections of the sleeve, said outwardly expanded portion being adapted to pass through said sleeve when registered with said oitset wall sections and interlocking with said sleeve when the pin is turned to bring the expanded portion thereof into engagement with said diverging wall sections.

7. In a car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having alined center pin receiving openings, one of said bolsters having a tapered retaining seat thereon adjacent the opening thereof; of a center pin having an outwardly'expanded section at one end fitting said seat and having means atthe other end for preventing removal from the other bolster, the shape of said expanded section of the pin and the shape of said pin openings and seat being such that the pin may be inserted therethrongh while in one position but is prevented from passing therethrough when given a partial turn to engage said expanded section with said seat; and means for preventing turning of the pin with respect to the bolster provided with the seat.

8. In a car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having alined center pin receiving openings of substantially the same diameter, one of said bolsters having a tapered seat portion adjacent its opening and the other bolster being provided with a shoulder adjacent its opening; of a center pin having a cylindrical shank portion extending through said openings and fitting the same, one end of said pin being outwardly tapered, said outwardly tapered portion being adapted to fit said seat to prevent removal of the pin lengthwise in one direction, said tapered section of the pin being of a size to pass freely through said openings, the other end of the pin having a head cooperating with said shoulder to prevent removal of the pin lengthwise in a reverse direction, the cross-sectional shape of said tapered section of the pin and the cross-section of the seat being such that the pin may be inserted through said seat while in one position but is prevented from passing therethrough when given a partial turn; and means for locking said pin against rotation with respect to the bolster cooperating with the tapered section thereof, said means having wedging engagement with the pin to force the tapered section thereof into tight engagement with the wall of the seat portion of the cooperating bolster.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of December, 1928.

HENRY FUCHS. 

